John Wesolowski is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist whose job varies day to day. In his main job, he serves as a staff anesthetist at the R.A. Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, Md. There, he treats acutely ill patients as they are rushed into the hospital by helicopter or ambulance.

In his spare time, John runs his own private anesthesia practice where he administers anesthesia to patients at a freestanding surgery center and also at a plastic surgeon's office.

John became the first nurse anesthetist to work for an NFL football team when he joined the Baltimore Ravens medical team on the sidelines in 1998. His expertise in airway management will be needed should Ravens stars Ray Lewis, Tony Siragusa, Mike McCrary or any other player suffer a cervical spine injury.

With spinal injuries becoming more common in football, John's role will be to provide immediate life-saving aid to an injured player. Should this type of injury occur, he would open the airway and breathe for the player to sustain life.

"This is something that I never would have imagined happening to me but is a direct result of my choice to follow nursing," John said.

John was first attracted to nursing after graduating from high school. He was searching for career guidance, and his guidance counselor told him of the exciting possibilities nursing offers.

After talking with a nursing school director, he enrolled in a program at the Community Medical Center School of Nursing in Scranton, Pa. After receiving his degree, he continued his education and received a license in anesthesia from the Wilmington Medical Center School of Anesthesia in Wilmington, Del.

"I can't say nursing or anesthesia are the right choices for everyone," John said. "But if you're even thinking about it a little, then it's a safe bet it's well worth looking into."